Simply Human
by KindlyIlliterate
Summary: A world full of gods amongst men, combat at its core, and an aspiring child who's simply looking for his purpose. A Dragon Ball AU, set in a timeline containing a Saiyan Empire that command the stars themselves. Rated M For Mild Gore, Swearing, & Dark Themes.
1. Prelude-

_I don't like crying._

_My throat almost collapses in on itself, strained between terror and pure unadulterated pain._

_It's the kind of pain that makes it too hard to scream._

_The kind of pain that makes you wish you'd just disappear in that moment._

_The kind of pain that makes you apologize for no reason._

_For something that wasn't your fault._

_For something you probably didn't ask for._

_I didn't ask to be brought to a lab._

_I just wanted to be cool._

_I just wanted to be happy._

_I really just wanted to be myself._

_A kid who made a wish to be something._

_I just wanted to be human._


	2. Prologue

Frieza is no more.

The intergalactic tyrant has been wiped from existence, defeated by the low-class Saiyan, _Bardock_. With the awakening of a Saiyan legend, Bardock went toe-to-toe with the landlord, ending his reign of terror in the universe with the Golden Super Saiyan transformation.

With a decisive victory, Bardock would end the era of Frieza, causing the shift to a Saiyan Empire unlike any other.

With the frightening power of Super Saiyan, the race began to swarm the universe, becoming pillagers of planets, and a galactic business partner that any and all prefer to be aligned with. The Saiyan race would tear through the universe for centuries, unparalleled in every facet as they dominated the stars with a godly hand.

Until they would come across a small blue dot.

Earth, as it was called. A planet housing a species much akin to the Saiyans, minus the tail of course. In Saiyan fashion, they'd pass this off, starting their usual eradication process without a second thought. Earth was visibly lush, and along with a number of promising benefactors the Saiyans could provide, the high price of the planet was undeniable.

But the Saiyans would quickly find Humanity to be their greatest challenge yet. Even with their fabled Super Saiyan power, the Saiyans found Humans to be stubbornly resistant, not only possessing the tactics to stay alive but the strength and will to fight back.

This would start a long war, later being dubbed: 'The Struggle'. A two-decade-long conflict that would be recorded as the greatest clash in Saiyan history. However, all things must come to an end. With brute force and a change in tactics, the Saiyans were able to crush the spirits of the human race. The treaty of Age 856 would put an end to the war, handing over the rights to the planet and its resources. But it was clear that Humans had earned the respect that few if any, other races had.

Earth, now 'Bardock', was a shiny trophy for the Saiyan race, it's beauty and abundant resources something to marvel at as plans for a major trading outpost were set into motion. But it would quickly become much more than that.

Over numerous centuries, 'Bardock' would become a galactic centerpiece. A place for any and all trade, a luxurious place to invest in, and a place with an abundance of jobs. Quickly becoming culturally vibrant as swarms of various races would flood the planet.

This was the place everyone wanted to be, a place where everything happened, and the place where our story begins.

With Max.

No, he's not a descendant of Frieza.

Nor is he some prodigal Saiyan fighting genius.

Not even a time-traveling Namekian.

Max's just a kid.

Rightfully, and Regrettably so...

_Max, is Simply Human._


	3. Surveillance

The whirring of a magnetic disk, an overspun pitch of technology.

The sound of a surveillance room constantly emitting a technology-driven _buzz._

Unsaturated footage, paired with the redundancy of storage and keyboard clacking filled the space as an underpaid security officer shakily prodded the mouse to skim through the clip of interest once again.

"-There."

From over the guard's shoulders, a voice would pierce the silence-

A distinct source of authority as a leather colored tail whipped towards the screen, idly worming it's length to the scene on screen. A terrified guard giving a careful glance to the Saiyan breathing down her neck before reversing the footage by a few seconds.

"Stop. Play it from here."

On-screen, would be a room.

Specifically a gallery in the _One Star _museum, a museum filled with treasures of day's past, and relics of the future. From history-laden jackets of iconic Capsule Corp. and Red Ribbon.- To legendary crafts of magic poles and living swords, the museum was a historian's dream- _And a school teacher's easiest field trip_. In the center of the screen would be the treasure of all treasures. Easily the attraction that the museum advertised as its identifier.

Seven Dragon Balls.

Placed behind a transparent wall of katchi-katchin, Saiyan Elite security, and Galactic Class Surveillance. The only thing that surrounded them more than these things was the skepticism that came from magical orbs that granted any wish one would want- And maybe a few jokes from children or childish adults about the name itself...

Penis jokes aside, the skepticism arose from the use of the dragon balls.

Or at least the lack of use.

For as even the Saiyan race; a race that made its reputation around Galactic conquest, absurd individual achievement, and prideful stance atop the corpses of enemies past; dubbed the dragon balls as a beast of mythical proportions- one capable of erasing a millennium the single slip of the tongue.

As the tape would roll, a crowd of Junior High students would approach the glass, guards shifting to block them from getting any closer- semi-politely asking for the kids to refrain from getting too close to the exhibit. However, resistance could be seen through the tape- Visible distortion of the air, as a glow began to disperse the crowd slightly before a star-like light began to overexpose the video contents, almost muting the impact of the pulsing explosion that quickly followed.

The tape would end there, the Saiyan sitting up in his chair slightly before demanding the tape be played again as his amber eyes bore into the glaring pixels on the screen. A low grunt emanating from him as the tape played, again and again, perturbed at the notion he wouldn't find what he was looking for here.

"This place _certainly _has more than one camera…-_Doesn't it_?" The Saiyan would say as he pursed his lips, mockingly slouching as the security officer vehemently apologized before quickly spamming through cameras before repeating the process of playing and switching- Our _lovely_, brooding Saiyan poised to leave no stone unturned. Leave nothing to the imagination, he was strictly here on _business_.

Switching the replay to a camera that had a better view of the dragon balls, one would find they too, were glowing like the sun; much akin to the glowing in the crowd earlier. A hearty laugh emanating from the Saiyan as his eyes glanced at the electronics surrounding the playback of the tape, a childish grin still present on his face as he checked a metaphorical box on a clipboard.

"S-Sir..?" Concerned with the laughing, the security officer would turn in her chair towards him, only to be overcome with the sensation of threat around her- Suffocated in- Suffocated. Her blonde locks whipping about as she desperately scrambled to pull herself free from the grip of the Saiyan as she began to see red. Crimson tears streaming down her face as her vision caved, an audible _snap _sounding almost cementing her death as-

"_Expendable._"

* * *

This is a story that I think has a lot of genuine potential content-wise, but because I'm writing it I'm finding that it's a lot harder to write than I was expecting it.

Writing has mostly been a very distant hobby for me, and while I can be very good at it at times, it either takes me forever or I just give up. Currently, I don't know how I could take the story to the place I want to, and small things like coming up with names for characters, and trying to make them feel real and believable just requires a lot of world-building and that's probably always been my weakest point in writing actual stories.

I hope that I can push myself to continue working on this. Quarantine just makes it seem like the perfect thing to do with my free time instead of just playing hours and hours of games and occasionally editing a video.

If you have any suggestions or tips, hell- Even names of characters (Ignore normal Saiyan naming schemes, or don't- I'll probably still use it.)

I hope quarantine is fairing well enough for you.


End file.
